Bio

Jason D. Stephens was born on March 8, 1974. He grew up in Duval County, Florida. As a teenager, Stephens became involved with drugs and crime. He started to get into trouble with the law. He was arrested for various offenses. His behavior escalated as he grew older. By the time he reached adulthood, he had developed a pattern of criminal activity.

Stephens was known to be involved with drugs and robbery. He faced multiple charges throughout his young life.

Murder Story

On June 18, 1996, Jason D. Stephens was involved in a crime that resulted in the death of Robert Miller. Stephens and two others picked up a prostitute and drove to a location to smoke crack cocaine. While they were there, the prostitute noticed a red car parked nearby. Suddenly, she heard gunfire, and Robert Miller was shot. The driver took the prostitute to a gas station and then went to the hospital with Miller, who was pronounced dead. The police linked the red car to Jason Stephens, and he was convicted of First-Degree Murder. He was sentenced to life in prison on February 27, 1998.

On December 3, 1996, Stephens was again involved in a violent incident. He was a passenger in a car that cut off another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle parked and exited the car. At that moment, Stephens approached with a firearm and shot the victim, who fell to the ground. Even after the victim was on the ground, Stephens continued to shoot. The victim later identified Stephens in a police photo lineup. On February 17, 1998, Stephens was convicted of Attempted First-Degree Murder and sentenced to life in prison.

The most notable crime occurred on June 2, 1997. During this event, Stephens broke into the home of Robert Sparrow, Jr. He was accompanied by several accomplices, one of whom, Horace Cummings, later turned himself in. Stephens, armed with a 9-mm firearm, confronted the inhabitants of the home, including Robert Sparrow III, who was only three years old. After demanding money and marijuana, Stephens made the hostages lie on the ground and then chose to take Robert Sparrow III with him as a form of insurance.

Stephens left the Sparrow residence with Robert III in a stolen car. They were only a short distance away when Stephens left Robert III in the vehicle alone. The vehicle was not discovered until hours later, and the child was found dead inside. During the trial, there was disagreement about the cause of death. While the defense contended the child died from hyperthermia, the medical examiner stated it was due to asphyxiation.

Following these crimes, Stephens was arrested on July 24, 1997. He faced a number of charges, including murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery. On December 8, 1997, he pled guilty to several charges and was later found guilty of murder and attempted robbery. The jury recommended the death penalty, and on April 7, 1998, he was sentenced to death for the murder of Robert Sparrow III, alongside several life sentences for other charges. His conviction was upheld by the Florida Supreme Court, and subsequent appeals have been denied.